Subsidies, grants for 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue

About 20,000 people received the wrong subsidies and grants owing to a processing issue in a government means-testing system.

- Wong Yang

The Ministry of Health (MOH), which manages the Household Means Eligibility System (Homes), said on July 21 that corrections to the subsidy and grant levels of those affected are in progress.

The ministry added that it has completed a reassessment of the affected individuals' subsidy tiers.

The majority of those affected received more subsidies and grants than they were entitled to, said the ministry.

They will not have to return the excess subsidy or grant amounts that have already been paid out.

Those who received less than they were entitled to will have the difference topped up by government agencies, said MOH. They will receive the reimbursement payments by November.

MOH said it will adjust the means-test and subsidy tiers of affected individuals to the intended levels from July 21.

Homes uses income information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore to means-test individuals with business income.